30. A company needs a database in which data is stored in a plain text document and is separated by delimiters, such as commas. Which type of database is needed?
Answer: C
A flat-file database is needed.
A flat-file database allows data to be stored in a plain text document, where entries are separated by delimiters such as commas. This format is ideal for simple data storage without the complexity of relational databases.
A) Cloud
A cloud database refers to a database that is hosted on cloud computing platforms and can be accessed over the internet. While cloud databases can use various data storage formats, they do not specifically describe a plain text document format with delimiters, making this option incorrect.
B) Hierarchical
A hierarchical database organizes data in a tree-like structure, where each record has a single parent and can have multiple children. This structure is not aligned with the concept of storing data in a plain text document with delimiters, thus making this option incorrect.
C) Flat-file
A flat-file database is characterized by its use of a single table or file to store all data in a simple format, typically as plain text with delimiters. This directly meets the requirements outlined in the question, making this option the correct choice.
D) Distributed
A distributed database is one that is spread across multiple locations or servers, working together as a single database. This option does not pertain to the storage format of data in a plain text document with delimiters, rendering it incorrect.
Conclusion
The flat-file database is the only option that accurately describes the requirement for storing data in a plain text document with delimiters. All other options either refer to different database structures or formats, which do not meet the specified criteria of the question. Thus, option C is definitively the correct answer.